Peace and Good Will?

Yes, Peace Is Possible.

Floods. Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Wars and Rumors of Wars. Mass Shootings. Rapes. Sexual Molestations. Corruption. Hatred. Pedophilia. Sexual trade. Child pornography. Genocidies. These are some of the headlines we read about every morning as soon as we turn on our television sets, our internet, or open a newspaper.

We read the questions on Facebook among our contacts and perceive the fear behind them. What is happening? What does this mean? Is the world ending? Why so much madness?

Everywhere I turn, people worry, fear, and feel hopeless. Most lash out with anger at the people causing so much misery, terrorists, rapists, assassins, child molesters, and some even at God when natural disasters hit too close to home.

Few look inward and ask, what can I do? Can one ordinary person, such as I, stop the avalanche of evil? Could someone with no particular courage bring the best of itself and offer help to those less fortunate? Is it possible to change an attitude of hopelessness, fear, doubt, anger, frustration and disbelief into something uplifting, edifying, and good?

It is if you know where to look. Last weekend, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints held what is known as the Semi-annual General Conference. For two days, Saturday and Sunday, we listened to Heaven inspired counsel. Counsel which is timely, spot on, and powerful.

I was shaken out of my stupor by some of the things I learned. I share with you only some of them.

God is our Father. He cares for us. God will make my life better, so I then can make the lives of others better. Most of us see only our limitations, but He sees the divinity in each of His children, and commands us to reach out, encourage, lift, and heal others.

Unless we lose ourselves in service, there is little purpose for our lives.

We must make right choices. When pitted between God’s choices and the world’s choices, where do we stand? This is the life and time to prepare to meet God.

If we cling to our values, if we simply live God’s law, we will become a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness.

The power is within us. If we rely on God, He will reveal to us our assignments. He will help us magnify our talents. He will make possible for us to use adversity, and the knowledge we acquire through our trials to help others. We should not demean ourselves. We are all clumsy. We are all imperfect. And we are all loved by He Who created us.

He knows us, so shouldn’t we try to know Him? His Plan of Happiness? His Law, so we can live It? We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to our challenges. Faith put into action always brings change.

So, when I ask what is my final destination? Where are my footsteps leading me? Do I flee or fight? What should I, or you, do?

I was counseled to go forward with faith. I was reminded that trusting in the words of prophets, seers, and revelators as shared by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the church I belong to, is vital in this scary world.

I extend a humble loving invitation, however clumsy, however imperfect, to each and everyone of you to come and feast with me at the table of the Lord. Peace is possible in this convoluted world, for after all, the path is straight and narrow.

Come and know what our Lord meant when He said, “ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

This is only my opinion...

As a single woman, a Mormon, and a western/Chinese doctor.